


if only ribs healed faster

by hawksonfire



Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cuddling & Snuggling, Deaf Clint Barton, Fluff and Humor, Human Disaster Clint Barton, Idiots in Love, M/M, Winterhawk Valentine's Day 2021 Blind Date Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:07:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29444574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawksonfire/pseuds/hawksonfire
Summary: “Shut up. I’m in pain, you can’t be mean to me,” Clint mutters.“Sure I can,” Bucky says. “If I pet your hair, I can do whatever I want. Discovered that weakness early.” He runs a hand through Clint’s hair and Clint melts, albeit grumpily.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Comments: 13
Kudos: 131
Collections: 2021 Winterhawk Valentine's Day Exchange





	if only ribs healed faster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TiBun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiBun/gifts).



> For the darling TiBun, who wrote the most INCREDIBLE fic for me in exchange for this one. I'm sorry it's a bit late, I will admit I completely forgot until like ten minutes ago. Anyway, I hope you like it!

Clint limps into the common room, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He hopes he doesn’t look as pathetic as he feels, but. He probably does.    
  
“Geez, Clint, you’re still not better?” Steve asks, lifting an eyebrow. 

“Well unlike  _ some _ people,” Clint says petulantly. “We don’t all have super-healing, Captain Asshole. Thanks for bringing it up.”

“Uh,” Steve says, looking frantically at Tony for help. Tony just shrugs at him, snickering.    
  
“Now leave me alone to die,” Clint says, flopping onto the couch. “My last wishes include coffee, strong enough to fuel a car, and my dog. Go get them for me, Captain Asshole, as payment for being a dick.”

“But--”

“No butts, although you do have a fantastic one,” Clint says, face down into the couch. “Chop chop, Captain Asshole.”

He can’t see it, but he can feel Steve’s confused gaze on him as the super-soldier pads out of the common room. “That was great,” Tony says. “Captain Asshole.”

“I spend most nights coming up with nicknames for the team,” Clint deadpans. “It’s my life’s work.”

“I thought your life’s work was bein’ an Avenger,” Bucky says as he walks in. “Although that is a pretty good back-up plan.” 

“ _ Thank  _ you,” Clint says fervently, flopping a hand in the air. “At least  _ one _ super-soldier appreciates me.” He thinks Bucky mumbles something in response, but his aids don’t pick it up and he’s not looking so he can’t read his lips, and frankly, he aches too much to really care.

He jerks as a weight sits on the other end of the couch, craning his head back to find Bucky looking at him. “You look like shit,” he says bluntly.

“Gee, thanks, Winter Asshole,” Clint grumbles. “I  _ know _ I look like shit, I don’t need everyone telling me that.” Somehow, hearing that from Bucky is worse than hearing it from Steve. It stings.

“It’s cute shit, if that helps,” Bucky says.

It does. “It doesn’t,” Clint grumbles. He shifts, his ribs twinging in discomfort and he hisses. “Damn ribs. Hurt less than they did when I sat down, though.”

“Sat,” Bucky says. “You  _ sat _ down.”

“Shut up. I’m in pain, you can’t be mean to me,” Clint mutters. 

“Sure I can,” Bucky says. “If I pet your hair, I can do whatever I want. Discovered that weakness early.” He runs a hand through Clint’s hair and Clint melts, albeit grumpily. 

“Mmrrghfhl,” he grumbles. Bucky snickers. Clint hears someone else walk in, followed by the  _ click click click _ of Lucky’s nails on the tile floor. He makes some sort of noise and Lucky woofs, getting closer and closer until a wet nose nudges against Clint’s cheek. Clint turns his head and is met with a slobbery tongue, leaving him sputtering.

“Good dog,” Bucky says, laughing at him. He reaches down and scratches behind Lucky’s ears. The move is eerily similar to what Bucky did on him a minute ago and Clint narrows his eyes at the other man suspiciously. Bucky stares back at him innocently.

“Here’s your coffee, strong enough to power a car, as requested,” Steve says, holding it out.

“Thanks, Captain Asshole,” Clint says, taking the coffee and cradling it close to his chest. “You’re dismissed.”

“You can’t just--” Steve sputters.    
  
“You heard the man, Steve,” Bucky says, smirking. “Scram.” Steve sputters a moment, then turns on his heel and leaves, and Clint and Bucky share a small smile. “You too, Stark,” Bucky adds.

“I wasn’t even making any noise!” Tony complains, clutching at his coffee. “And this is  _ my _ tower!”

“Don’t care,” Bucky says. “Scram. I wanna watch a movie, and you talk too much.” Clint snorts as Tony sputters, but the genius eventually leaves. 

“Well, now we’re all alone,” Clint says, squirming around on the couch until he can look up at Bucky without hurting his neck. “What do we do now?”

“Well,” Bucky drawls. “I was thinkin’ we could treat this like a date, sweetheart, if that’s alright with you.”

Clint blinks at him, then scrambles upright, ignoring the faint twinge of  _ no _ from his ribs. “You wanna take me on a date?” he asks incredulously. “But why? I’m so...” He gestures at his general area.

Bucky grabs his hand. “Stop that,” he scolds. “I like you just the way you are, Clint. Banged up and reckless and all.”

Clint blinks at him. “I--okay?” he says hesitantly. “I’m not used to that. People liking me, even with all this.” He gestures to himself. 

“Well, I’m not people,” Bucky says. “I’m Bucky. Is that a yes?”

Clint nods. “Yes, it’s a yes. I’d like that. Movie, popcorn, the whole shebang?”

“The whole shebang,” Bucky confirms. “Maybe even some cuddles, if you don’t steal all my popcorn.”

“It’s not  _ my _ fault that you make the best popcorn,” Clint grumbles, using it to hide the way his heart is racing and his stomach is fluttering.

“I don’t do anythin’ special, sweetheart,'' Bucky says, grinning. “Just throw a little salt and a lot of butter on it. That’s all.”

“Well, whatever you do, keep doing it,” Clint says, squirming until his head is on Bucky’s lap. “Because I like it.”

“You’re the boss,” Bucky says, scritching at Clint’s head again. Clint sighs happily and settles in, only to be rudely jerked out of his daze a few moments later when Bucky shifts his head off of his lap. “I gotta make the popcorn, sweetheart,” he says. “Be back in a few.”

Clint grumbles at him but lets him go, immediately flopping into his lap when he comes back. “Ah,” he says, opening his mouth. Bucky, like the asshole he is, drops a piece right into Clint’s throat, making him choke. “Hey!”

“I was just following orders,” Bucky says innocently. 

“Winter Asshole,” Clint grumbles, but nonetheless, he slumps back into Bucky’s lap. “Why’d I say yes again?”

“Because you  _ like _ me,” Bucky teases, wrapping an arm around him. “How’s the ribs?”

“I do like you,” Clint says. He looks down at his ribs, narrowing his eyes. “Uh. Better? Like. They don’t hurt anymore. At all.”

“What?” Bucky says incredulously, pulling his arm back. Clint whines, but Bucky shushes him, tugging at his shirt. “Up. Lemme see.”

“Trying to get my clothes off already, Barnes?” Clint deadpans as he pulls off his shirt. He looks down and his eyes widen. “Bucky, they’re  _ better _ .” His ribs are barely even bruised anymore, but before he’d laid down on the couch, there had been yellow and green bruising splashed across his chest. It should have taken him  _ days _ to heal, not minutes.

“This shouldn’t be possible,” Bucky murmurs. “Unless you’re secretly a super-soldier and haven’t told anyone.” He looks at Clint suspiciously.

“Bucky, you  _ really _ think I could keep that to myself?” Clint asks.

Bucky nods. “Good point.” He goes back to examining Clint’s ribs, poking at them occasionally. Clint lets him, mostly because it actually doesn’t hurt. Like, at all. 

“Am I secretly Steve’s kid or something?” Clint asks hypothetically.

Bucky wrinkles his nose. “Lord, I hope not. That’d make it real awkward considering I wanna kiss you.”

“Steve gives terrible shovel talks,” Clint agrees, and then what Bucky said catches up to him. “You what?”

“I wanna kiss you,” Bucky repeats. “Not now, but soon.” He pulls Clint’s shirt back over his head, ignoring Clint’s squawk, and pulls him back into his arms. “I have a theory on why you healed so fast.”

“Share,” Clint says, wiggling until he’s comfortable tucked up against Bucky’s side.

“Well,” Bucky starts slowly, “You know how you heal faster when your soulmate’s around?”

“Everyone knows that,” Clint scoffs. “That’s like the first thing they teach you.” He sits for a moment, and then it clicks in his brain and he scrambles upright. “You think we--us-- _ really _ ?”

“Can you think of another reason your ribs would have healed that fast?” Bucky asks. 

“No,” Clint admits after a minute. “Unless I really am Steve’s kid.”   
  
“Would it really be so bad to be my soulmate?” Bucky asks quietly.

“Absolutely not,” Clint says immediately. “I like you, Bucky, you’d make a great soulmate! Especially if you keep bringing me popcorn,” he teases.

“Popcorn and head scritches,” Bucky says, nodding. “The key to a happy Barton. Got it.” He grins at Clint.

Clint grins back, heart speeding up a little as he asks. “So. Since I’m not Steve’s kid, and my ribs are all healed... how about that kiss?”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [ tumblr!](https://hawksonfire.tumblr.com/)


End file.
